(ABC)
On Thursday’s “How To Get Away With Murder” winter finale, it was finally revealed who’s under the sheet. Here are the most important things to know about “Who’s Dead,” the ninth episode of season three and the midseason finale.
IN THE PRESENT: The show began with Annalise introducing the midterm exam: Convince her that Ted Bundy’s death sentence should be overturned. As the students each had to make their case aloud, the show flashed to Frank with the gun to his chin, Annalise egging him on and Bonnie begging him not to do it. Her tearful pleas to “live for me” worked, as he gave up the gun. “I’m so sorry,” he said to Annalise, who told him, “You should’ve done it.”
All passed the midterm. As the students celebrated, Asher confessed to Michaela that he spoke to her mom and she was on her way to visit. Connor and Oliver had a testy exchange, given their fight. And Annalise told Wes that “Frank’s gone,” and wouldn’t “bother” them anymore. Laurel wasn’t sure it would be that easy, since Frank now knew they were together, and Wes accused her of only wanting to be with him to “fix” him. She in turn accused him of the same.
Annalise broke down in tears at the beauty parlor, where she found out ADA Atwood was now going to, too. Annalise accused her of “stalking” and “investigating” her, after which she went to Nate and confronted him over being Atwood’s “bitch.” He told her, “I’m done,” but she admitted she didn’t know how to “get better.” And so, she downed some vodka. Unbeknownst to her, Atwood then had Wes called down to the police station, and Nate dumped her “before things get more complicated.”
Annalise started a fire in her fireplace to burn all her files on the Mahoneys, Rebecca, and more. As she continued to drink, she destroyed her computer, flashing back to all the drama. She ultimately left the house but the door didn’t close behind her. She went to Bonnie’s and told her they’re “all going to jail” since Atwood was investigating her.
In an attempt to sober her up, Bonnie put Annalise into her bed, and Annalise kissed her. At the same time, Wes met with detectives, assuming he was there for the Mahoney case. In actuality, they wanted him to “cooperate” in a case about Annalise after Rebecca’s body was found in the woods. In exchange, he was offered immunity, which his attorney urged him to take. Wes then fired him.
Meanwhile, still at the party, a drunken Connor told Oliver he wasn’t high the night of the bonfire, but “traumatized.” Upon her adopted mom’s arrival, Michaela demanded to know what she needs: A place to stay for a few weeks after leaving her dad. As they argued about their past, Asher showed up with Connor and Laurel both wasted. Michaela’s mom promptly started drinking with them, and they discovered Connor set up a date with Thomas.
Bonnie told Frank that Annalise was being investigated, and he could “fix this” by taking the fall. He questioned, “You love me, but you want me to jump on the grenade for all of us?” A clueless Annalise left a message for Wes to meet at her home, and then called Laurel to get everyone to her house. But now Asher was drunk, too, and Connor was with Thomas, so Laurel went alone.
As Oliver secretly investigated the bonfire, Annalise told him they were all “in trouble,” including Connor, and he needed to hack the D.A.’s office. Amid this, Nate went to Annalise’s, and entered after finding the door ajar. He discovered the mess she left, but the fire now out. Laurel then arrived, and moments later, the first floor exploded.
The show then jumped to the flash-forwards seen throughout the season thus far, with Annalise arriving back home to discover a crowd and emergency personnel. Oliver then arrived just before her arrest, sending him fleeing to wipe her phone. At the police station, Annalise used her one call to phone Bonnie. Then, as previously seen, Bonnie met up with Oliver at the crime scene, and Laurel was rushed from the destroyed house to the hospital.
While at the hospital, Bonnie took a call from Frank, who was at the fire scene, and told him Laurel was pregnant, but had “no idea” if she’d be alright. The repeat scenes showed Annalise learning her charges, Oliver filling in Michaela, Bonnie denying to Annalise she was the “anonymous source,” Laurel awaking and writing Wes’ name, and Bonnie then telling Oliver, Michaela and Asher about Annalise’s arrest.
Just then, Connor arrived, and all were relieved to find he was not the male body found in the house. “Who’s dead?” he asked. The show then cut to the medical examiner’s office, where the coroner said she had an African-American body. Just then, Nate entered and asked to take a look. The sheet was pulled back to show Wes’ burned body. Bonnie confirmed “it’s Wes” to the others, and they all broke down, including Laurel and Meggy.
As Nate asked the coroner about the official cause of death, the show flashed back to hours earlier, with Wes demanding an updated immunity agreement. Then, having received Annalise’s message, he secretly left the police station. Then the show went forward again, with Nate going to Annalise’s jail cell. “I didn’t do this,” she told him. Nate’s response: “He was already dead before the fire.” The end.
